Poll

Which will you choose?

Blu-Ray56%56% - 28
Hd-dvd12%12% - 6
I will eventually get both...8%8% - 4
What the fuck?18%18% - 9
Too young to own something this hi-tech right now.6%6% - 3
Total: 50
d3v1ldr1v3r13
Satan's disciple on Earth.
+160|6930|Hell's prison
This certainly has been burning on the net for some time now awaiting to see which format will be the successor to the now ever popular Digital Video Disk, or as we all call it DVD.

The stats behind both is very promising I recently purchased a 50" Samsung DLP rear projection HDTV, its very nice and crisp, and of course like some or most, I am eagerly awaiting a Playstation 3.  But that really isnt the burning question I am asking here.  Currently the battle for supremacy between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is beginning to come to a more mainstream audience.  Lets look at some facts for both:

Blu-Ray:

Holds 25 gigs of information on a single layer disk, 50 on a dual layer, the recordable blu-ray disks can hold the same capacity supposedley. (Sony has announced by next year the Blu-Ray capacity could be up to 200 gigs on a quad-layer disk)

Data Transfer Rate: 36 MBPS (Megabits per Second) - This exceeds the 19.3 Mbps transfer rate approved for HDTV broadcasts.

Compatible with full MPEG2 Encoding, as well as MPEG4

Incorporation of both Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD

HD-DVD:

Single layer 15 gigs, dual layer 30 gigs, no further plans to attempt to expand on this atm.

Storage Capacity - Home Recording (HD-DVD-R/HD-DVD-Rewritable): Single-layer (20GB) - Dual-Sided Disc (40GB) - Dual Layer (35GB - proposed)

Format similar to existing DVD disc structure, requiring minimal upgrading and retooling of existing DVD disc manufacturing and replication plants

Compatible with MPEG2 and MPEG4 Encoding

Incorporation of both Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD.

Not saying at all that either format will come out on top, they may very well be two formats available from this point on.  Statistically as of now Blu-ray has a serious advantage.  But dont go rushing to your local electronic stores yet.  HD-DVD requires minimal retooling of currently available DVD-players, which is their saving grace for keeping their prices down.  Shown here from Bestbuy.com.

Sony Blu-ray player: 999.99USD
Toshiba HD-DVD player: 499.99USD

AVG Blu-ray disk price: 21.99-27.99
AVG HD-DVD disk price: 21.99-27.99

Dont think for a second that DVD is going the way of the laserdisc quite yet however.  DVD is still history's most successful media format ever, yes even better than a CD-ROM ever was.  I can sit here and get deeper into this, but so far I think this is long enough.  For the console gamers out there, the X-box360 will be shipping with an HD-DVD player installed in the near future, and unless you been living under a rock you know that PS3 is shipping on launch with a Blu-ray player.

So instead of boring you with an even longer post, here is a link to facts about both formats, and current companies backing which, as you scroll down you will see the lists.  Good day people, hope this was informative for the Hi-def, and the soon to be hi-def.  Thank you.

http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/19/blu- … -division/
d3v1ldr1v3r13
Satan's disciple on Earth.
+160|6930|Hell's prison
two more votes and no comments?  Come on...Give me feedback.
RaVeN.sco
Member
+15|6779|Scotland
nice post, well put together.

good arguments for both, and it looks technically the blue-ray will eat hd for breakfast.
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|6845|132 and Bush

Well one thing I would like to say it would be absolutely crazy to purchase a Blu-Ray or HD drive now. Like all first Gen products you will see they are not so big on performance but big on price. Take for example the Pioneer BD-r 101a drive.
Cost : 1,000 (For an optical drive, holy shit)
Speed: dvd's at 8x's, nothing special there. Blu-Ray at only 2x's (a slow 9MPS). This means about 45 mins to burn.

The BD-r 101a can't read or write CD's neither. There isn't any software for it yet. It comes with a basic version of Roxio and there is no other 3rd party software for it.
Just wait , it's nothing more than a novelty now.

Last edited by Kmarion (2006-09-12 05:34:20)

Xbone Stormsurgezz
d3v1ldr1v3r13
Satan's disciple on Earth.
+160|6930|Hell's prison
I heartily agree, I remember when DVD player prices were so outrageous, shit nowadays if you got 50 bones to spare, run on down to your local electronics store and pick one up.  I even upgraded to an 'upconvert' DVD player because I am not nearly ready for Blu-ray or HD-DVD until I see it truly shine.
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|6845|132 and Bush

Lol, I remeber I put progressive scan as soon as it came out for about 400 bucks . I bought one this weekend to replace one my girlfriends son broke for like 46 bucks at Walmart..
Xbone Stormsurgezz
d3v1ldr1v3r13
Satan's disciple on Earth.
+160|6930|Hell's prison
thats about a kick in the man-jewels right there, a few years ago put up 400 bones for the next big thing, 5 years later go to wally world and it barely puts a dent in your wallet.  Just picked up this bad boy http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp … 4702980301 and damn what a difference.
IG-Calibre
comhalta
+226|6987|Tír Eoghan, Tuaisceart Éireann
Betamax FTW!!
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|7016|PNW

It's too early for me to issue a concrete choice. In the end, it doesn't matter which technology is better; it matters which one is the most successfully marketed and most competively-priced so soon after everyone ditched their VHS collections for DVD's.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2006-09-12 07:45:25)

PuckMercury
6 x 9 = 42
+298|6772|Portland, OR USA
looking at the specs, I'd have to say Blu-Ray, but Sony is notorious for having a superior technology and then screwing themselves with distribution and copyrights.  Betamax was superior to VHS, but lost.  Memorystick was a decent concept, but never took on beyond Sony devices.  <shrug>

Certainly something will replace DVD's.  Regardless of how minimal retooling will be, retooling is still required for HD-DVD's which means a new head unit.  While the HD-DVD player is still cheaper, it's almost trivial as both are ridiculously priced for the average consumer.  If they both drop in price and the HD-DVD still maintains a 50% cost advantage over Blu-Ray, then they may have something.

In any event, I am certainly not ready to start buying anything on a next-gen media yet.  DVD to HD-DVD/Blu-Ray promises to be an infinitely easier conversion than VHS to DVD and seems to offer accross the board backward compatibility, so there's not even the need to develop the hybrid devices akin to the VHS/DVD players that exist today.

I can't see two formats existing long term, though.  Not from a player standpoint anyway.
oug
Calmer than you are.
+380|6764|Πάϊ
whichever prevails
ƒ³
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|6826|SE London

Good question. I know HD-DVDs are currently in 1080p resolution. If Blu-Ray is lower then fuck that (although I don't have any 1080p screens lying around). HD broadcasts, I believe, will be at 720p - which accounts for the difference in bandwidth.

Probably Blu-Ray actually. Wait for the price drop.

Last edited by Bertster7 (2006-09-12 09:27:05)

Towelly
It's A State Of Mind
+399|6835|Your attic
Well it's like the previous war between VCD and DVD, DVD won and everyone forgot VCD. I still think Blu-ray will come out on top, Sony supported DVD, it won, they're supporting Blu-ray, it's likely history will repeat it's self.
Rygar
Canucklehead
+69|6891|Nova Scotia
Blu Ray also does 1080p.
HD DVD just released a statement that they put DVD and HD DVD on the same, triple-layer disc, and are presenting it to the HD DVD forum (which is apparently the governing body for next-gen formats).
Good post Devil Driver.  +1
max
Vela Incident
+1,652|6812|NYC / Hamburg

on paper blue-ray looks much better but the question is if they are able to increase reliability and speed while decreasing cost (which is the big one). if they are i will probs go with blue ray, otherwise with hd-dvd. and maybe someone will be able to integrate all functions into i drive (CD-R/W, DVD+/- R/W, DVD dl, blue ray & hd DVD all at decent speed)
once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot  xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.
Rygar
Canucklehead
+69|6891|Nova Scotia
Also keep in mind that both Microsoft and Sony have hinted that they are both willing, or considering the benefits of, making players for the opposing format (i.e. Sony releases a HD-DVD player, and Microsoft a Blu Ray).
There is a strong possibility that this foolish format war will last much longer than anyone would like, and the real victims are us, the consumers.
PuckMercury
6 x 9 = 42
+298|6772|Portland, OR USA
ultimately, if it lasts too long there will be a device put on the market which can read both - in which case, problem solved.  In my opinion, there is not really an issue with competing media formats.  I mean, DVD +/-R, DVD +/-RW etc can all now generally be read by any DVD drive.  Having multiple player platforms will not stand for long.  The best example of that is Betamax vs. VHS.  Sure, they existed simultaniously for a while, but one won out.  This is perhaps more likely to generate a hybrid device, however, seeing as they are the same physical shape and dimension and vary only in the data structure.  Worst case scenerio, the reader has two lasers.
ShotYourSix
Boldly going nowhere...
+196|6964|Las Vegas
Bottom line is that I have no need yet for either......Plain ol' DVD is still just fine for my needs.
d3v1ldr1v3r13
Satan's disciple on Earth.
+160|6930|Hell's prison
Something else i just read about on wikipedia.org, is that PS3 just got its launch consoles cut a little more than in half.  There are problems with the production of the blue diode lens that ships on all blu-ray devices as well as HD-DVD.  Sony still insists it will pump out 6 million units by the end of the year however.

BTW thank you to the mod that placed this in the right area, it was early in the morning when i wrote this and I was mostly just trying to tire myself out.

Last edited by d3v1ldr1v3r13 (2006-09-12 16:28:15)

gamer24
Member
+0|6681
I see that the blu ray disk might fail.  Just by looking at Sonys past track record for new media, all of them failed.  Mini Disc and UMD Movies are just two of many.  The problem is, is that cost to make blu ray disk readers and disks themselves.  As shown by Sony for the PS3, they are only shipping 400,000 PS3s here to the US(80% of them are going to be the $599 premium pack ones, this is because of the HUGE loss Sony is taking on the PS3, and most likly wont be able to gain the money back for awhile) for launch and are pushing the Europe launch back till March 2007 because they cant make the optical readers for the blu ray discs correctly.  I dont like sony, and would never buy any of there products(Music CDS dont count) but I wont include my Sony hate in this post.
Maj.Do
Member
+85|6996|good old CA
hmmm BLueray is definately too expensive right now, But it has alot of support from companies like apple and disney.  Personally i think the DVD will still remain the most popular.  My family thinks HD broadcast hurts there eyes when they watch it for a while : ).

also even though bluray sounds good on paper, wasnt betamax technically better then VHS?

Last edited by Maj.Do (2006-09-12 16:42:23)

d3v1ldr1v3r13
Satan's disciple on Earth.
+160|6930|Hell's prison
Actually an HD broadcast hurting your eyes is a myth, unless your nose is touching the screen.  As long as you sit far enough back from the TV, it shouldnt hurt anything.  If they really want to get techical, HD actually is easier on your eyes, because its less for you to clarify for yourself.
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|6826|SE London

PuckMercury wrote:

ultimately, if it lasts too long there will be a device put on the market which can read both - in which case, problem solved.  In my opinion, there is not really an issue with competing media formats.  I mean, DVD +/-R, DVD +/-RW etc can all now generally be read by any DVD drive.  Having multiple player platforms will not stand for long.  The best example of that is Betamax vs. VHS.  Sure, they existed simultaniously for a while, but one won out.  This is perhaps more likely to generate a hybrid device, however, seeing as they are the same physical shape and dimension and vary only in the data structure.  Worst case scenerio, the reader has two lasers.
Wouldn't need 2 lasers, I don't think. Both have blue lasers - I can't remember if they are focused the same though, but I'm sure that could be sorted out.
Maj.Do
Member
+85|6996|good old CA

d3v1ldr1v3r13 wrote:

Actually an HD broadcast hurting your eyes is a myth, unless your nose is touching the screen.  As long as you sit far enough back from the TV, it shouldnt hurt anything.  If they really want to get techical, HD actually is easier on your eyes, because its less for you to clarify for yourself.
my dad thinks theres too much details but yea it is easier on your eyes
Rygar
Canucklehead
+69|6891|Nova Scotia

d3v1ldr1v3r13 wrote:

Something else i just read about on wikipedia.org, is that PS3 just got its launch consoles cut a little more than in half.  There are problems with the production of the blue diode lens that ships on all blu-ray devices as well as HD-DVD.  Sony still insists it will pump out 6 million units by the end of the year however.

BTW thank you to the mod that placed this in the right area, it was early in the morning when i wrote this and I was mostly just trying to tire myself out.
Gamer24's got 'er right, 400k units to NA for launch, and they (sony) now say that they expect 2 million for 2006 only.  They've made some serious blunders, but we'll have to wait and see how bad these blunders are in the long run.

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